AASLD Foundation Travel Expense Reimbursement Guidelines

Award-Related Travel Expense Reimbursement Guidelines

AASLD Foundation offers several funding programs that include support for travel to and participation in scientific programming. These programs include:

• Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellow Award
• Emerging Liver Scholar Program
• Emerging Liver APP Program

Travel is not an allowable cost for any program not listed above.

General reimbursement guidelines are listed below for eligible programs. Awardees should refer to program-specific guidelines or restrictions in their notice of award and award guidelines documentation.

The following programs travel expenses include a flat payment as travel support as of January 1^st, 2024:

• Emerging Liver Scholar Program 
• Emerging Liver APP Program 
• Abstract Awards 

The below programs travel expenses include travel support on a reimbursement basis subject to following AASLD Foundations reimbursement policies and requirements:

• Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellow Award

Reimbursement Policies

• Awards are made to the individual and not their institution/employer.
  • Travel reimbursements will be paid to the awardee only. No reimbursement for travel funds will be paid to an institution/employer under any circumstances.
• Awards cannot be transferred to another individual.
• Travel funds are paid to the individual awardee on a reimbursement basis for actual travel expenses incurred.
• Expenses in excess of the award amount will not be reimbursed by the AASLD Foundation under any circumstances.
• Travel costs for cancelled trips are not eligible for reimbursement.
• No funds will be distributed onsite, or prior to the awardee’s travel to and participation in the selected event(s).
• No arrangements are provided “in-kind.”
• Unused travel funds will be forfeited.

Reimbursement Submission Guidelines

• The reimbursement funds will comply with all Internal Revenue Code requirements and any other applicable federal or state law. The recipient is responsible for providing the appropriate supporting tax documents to AASLD Foundation.
• Reimbursements are paid by Automatic Clearing House (ACH) transfer for US recipients and wire transfer for international recipients. Please allow 4-6 weeks for processing following receipt and approval of reimbursement documents by the AASLD Foundation.
• Reimbursement requests must be signed by the awardee and submitted on the expense form provided by AASLD Foundation.
• All reimbursement requests must adhere to AASLD Foundation standards as listed in notification materials and on the reimbursement form.
  • Itemized receipts must be submitted for all expenses. A receipt MUST support any single item of expense. AASLD Foundation will not reimburse for expenses that are not supported by a corresponding receipt.
  • Receipts must be submitted electronically with the signed travel expense report form and a scanned copy or photo of the original receipt.
  • No reimbursement is allowed for spousal or guest expenses.
  • All receipts must be translated into English (the Recipient may annotate receipts with translation).
  • All expenses incurred in foreign currencies or exchanges of currency must be converted to U.S. dollars on the reimbursement form and must include documentation supporting the calculation. Approved methods for documenting currency conversion are:
    • Itemized credit or debit card statement documenting the exchange rate. Note that itemized receipts for each expense must also be included as supporting documentation. 
    • Exchange rate on receipt.
    • OANDA’s Currency Converter, using the historical exchange rate for the exact dates of expense. Reimbursement request should include page printout or screen shot as proof of quote. Available at www.oanda.com/currency/converter
  • Event-specific travel awards: 
    • Required paperwork and receipts must be submitted to the AASLD Foundation within 120 days after the meeting end date. Travel funds not claimed within one hundred and twenty (120) days of the conclusion of the event attended will be forfeited. For the Emerging Liver Programs, this includes participating in the required housing for the program. Emerging Liver Program Awardees who chose to not stay in the program block forfeit their eligible travel support payment.
• Awardees must participate in all required programming and presentations associated with the award, or funding will be forfeited.

Allowable Expense Guidelines

These allowable expense policies reflect AASLD Foundation’s non-profit tax status and responsible stewardship of awards funding. Foundation travel-related awards are meant to help offset, but not necessarily fully cover, the cost of attending the applicable meeting in-person.

QUESTIONS

For more information about AASLD Foundation’s travel reimbursement policies, contact awards@aasld.org.

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